How Google gets all that Street View data (photos)

Google Street View car

The standby of the Street View fleet is the car, in this case a Subaru Impreza. Google is showing this one off at the Google I/O 2013 show in San Francisco. The first Street View images were released for Google Maps in 2007 for five cities, but now the panoramic views are available for 3,000 cities.

Street View sensor pod

Atop each Street View car is a sensor pod that takes photos, keeps track of position with a GPS receiver, and uses lasers to perform a 3D scan of nearby buildings and other features. Google showed the Street View technology at its Google I/O 2013 show developer in San Francisco.

Street View trike

The Street View trike is used to map parks, trails, and other areas where cars can't reach. It was the the brainchild of mountain biker and Google employee Dan Ratner. Google showed the Street View technology at its Google I/O 2013 show developer in San Francisco.

Street View trolley

The Street View trolley has been used to map 200 museums, including photos of 40,000 works of art. It's skinny enough to fit through doors and to avoid bumping into sculptures. Google showed the Street View technology at its Google I/O 2013 show developer in San Francisco.

Street View snowmobile

The Street View snowmobile is used to map ski areas. Google had to adapt the technology to keep hard drives warm enough. Google showed the Street View technology at its Google I/O 2013 show developer in San Francisco.

Street View trekker

The Street View trekker, the most mobile of the data-gathering systems, has been used to map the Grand Canyon. It weighs 40 pounds, including an 8-pound battery, so a team of people is required. It's operated by an Android device and has 15 camera lenses. Google showed the Street View technology at its Google I/O 2013 show developer in San Francisco.

Street View underwater camera

For underwater mapping, Google uses a self-propelled, diver-controlled underwater camera housing called the SVII. The diver uses an Android tablet to control the device. Google is cooperating with Caitlin Seaview Survey, a scientific study of the world's reefs.